Opry wonderland

On Sabbath afternoon we took a trip to the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

I've never see anything so amazing inside! It's almost like a dreamworld.

I think I like the Delta area best.

Oh, where is my Ryan. . .

Sometimes you just need a girls' weekend

The current convention of the weekend...

This could be useful. In case you can't find a bathroom, they've got plenty in the ballrooms...

After some shopping, we came back home to scrapbook. What a mess we make!

Sabbath Ice Walk

Carrie and I took a walk on the frozen pond over by the prinicpal's house this morning. This reminds me of my Canada days when we used to go ice skating on random ponds in the great outdoors.

We are ready for some warmer weather! By the time we got back home my face felt like it was freezing off.

Listening to the ice crack as you move around makes you a little nervous but it's a really pretty sound, its almost musical, like the sound of a glass armonica.

Carrie the wanna-be figure skater

Carrie and Ryan come to visit

On Friday we went with Hollie and Brooks to the Olive Garden to celebrate 3 birthdays: Ryan, Hollie and Brooks. I like the expressions in this picture: I'm frustrated cause Ryan's trying to trick me with a "how many?" game while Hollie gives us the look...

Girlfriends

The weekend's main attraction: a bongo board Ryan H got from the PE department. It's actually very tiring trying to balance and move back and forth on it but it's a great way to stay warm in this cold weather.

Ryan always seemed to be strumming a guitar...

Ryan and Ryan went outside for a little Sabbath afternoon hoop shooting

Saturday night we played Ukrainian Manners (or a lack thereof), a game where you have to write to 100 while somebody is rolling a die, trying to get a 6 or 1 so they can steal your pen and write their numbers. Ryan Heilman won both times...

Stephanie still thinks she has the pen but Ryan's actually writing while Jaclyn rolls the die. Ryan is poised to grab the die once Jaclyn grabs the pen from Ryan.

All's fun and games until somebody's nose gets scratched grabbing the pen!

The blizzard of 07!

5 AM - I've woken up to snow! As fun as this is, it means that everybody is going to be too petrified to get to work, especially as it is now turning to freezing rain. Dorinda and I plan to try shortly but I thought I'd share for those of you who are still asleep and may not even get to see this when you wake up. Pray for me today cause I have a feeling it's going to be a frustrating day at the hospital since bad weather always makes us have problems. I wonder if Puxatawney Phil will see his shadow tomorrow??? And by the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ryan Heilman! Normally I think he would love show in Collegedale, but as it might hinder his plans for getting here today he just might recant on his winter weather fettish.

Tuesday: let me off the merry-go-round!

5:45-7:25 Get ready, breakfast, read/write 1 pg research article review, write 1 pg bibliography (I expect kudos on my procrastinatory (this is not a word, I know) efficiency from my tutors, who know who they are)

7:30-8 Organ practice

8-11 Research

11-11:15 Review in prep for teaching presentation on lung auscultation

11:15-11:45 CK for lunch with Ryan

11:45-2:25 Instructional Evaluation (present aforementioned presentation and critique classmates)

2:25-2:45 Discuss thesis topics with Dean of Nursing and how to teach EKG’s (for when I will be teaching a class in Adult 2 in March)

2:50-3 Walk around church parking lot and stare at sky

3-3:45 Organ lesson: many composers (Mendelssohn, Bach, and Buxtehude) = playing like a multiple personality = highly frustrating but intriguing

3:45-4 Home, bring the trash can up from the road, answer my day’s worth of MSN conversations, read a few e-mails, begin this list

4-4:40 Trip to Wal-Mart (made possible by our new Collegedale Wal-Mart!)

5 Waffle supper (so I have breakfast for the next week)

6-8:30 mainly downtime (HALLELUJAH!)

8:30-10:?? Proof Stephanie's American History paper for McHitler, organize myself for next week, write a thank-you note, discuss paint colors for my apt with my uncle, finish the dishes

10:20+ CRASH and be almost thankful that my schedule tomorrow (and the next day) will include mainly one thing: WORK

*Note to self - things I did not do today: drink water, exercise, and spend more than 5 minutes with devotions but honestly, where was there time?

Study, study, study

I think my slacker days are over. This semester is forcing me to kick into high gear. This week, Ryan had an A&P test over endocrine and the blood. Personally, I think endocrine has to be the hardest section of A&P. I think we studied for this test 3 nights this week. It's a great review for me! Ryan got tired of being cold in my only slightly heated house so he made use of my Christmas robe. Stephanie couldn't miss this photo opportunity. I think this problem would be alleviated if he wore more than a t-shirt in the middle of January... ;-)

Isn't he cute? Ryan, not the bear, but the bear is too... :-) Ryan brought me Smokey the bear from Gatlinburg this summer.

And this is what I found when I got home this afternoon. He's amazing...